Understanding the Role of Buildings in a Smart Microgrid

A 'Smart microgrid' refers to a distribution network for electrical energy, starting from electricity generation to its transmission and storage with the ability to respond to dynamic changes in energy supply through co-generation and demand adjustments. At the scale of a small town, a microgrid is connected to the wide-area electrical grid that may be used for 'Baseline' energy supply; or in the extreme case only as a storage system in a completely self-sufficient microgrid. Distributed generation, storage and intelligence are key components of a smart microgrid. In this paper, the authors examine the significant role that buildings play in energy use and its management in a smart microgrid.